


Recall

by tajador



Series: New World [1]
Category: Kamen Rider - All Media Types, Kamen Rider Ryuki
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:45:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6229669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tajador/pseuds/tajador
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When star-crossed lovers finally meet in a world where they are not doomed to fight until one of them dies in the other's arms.</p>
<p>An expansion of the Ryuki ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recall

**Author's Note:**

> i really love the ryuki ending, the contrast between the miserable Everyone Dies realities of the original timelines (TV series, 13 riders & episode final) and the peaceful beauty of the last timeline. as soon as i finished watching the series, i wanted to create something that would capture my Emotions regarding, well, everything this show did. please enjoy!!

No world could ever be perfect. Even without war, he will be diagnosed with terminal cancer. She will lose her sister. He will watch as his best friend’s dreams are shattered.

But this time, they will be able to find peace, happiness, and hope that will not doom them to fight until they take each other’s lives. 

 

* * *

 

His stride out of the tea shop is barely slowed by the encounter of another person coming in, Ren not bothering to look at the stranger as he walks towards his motorcycle. He steps towards the right to avoid them, but so do they. He looks up in annoyance when they both move to the left, their awkward dance continuing until Ren loses patience. "Move."

"'Move'!? You move!" The shorter man doesn’t seem impressed by Ren in the least, which somehow annoys him. The two of them glare at each other before it turns into softer stares, Ren examining the other’s features as a feeling of déjà vu overcomes him. He sighs and looks away as soon as he realizes how weird his staring might seem to the other, ready to go back to his motorcycle when they bump right into each other.

Annoyed by this sitcom worthy confrontation, Ren grabs the stranger’s collar and moves him aside, only to stop in his steps when their hands brush against each other as the shorter man tries pulling his hand away. The brief touch had felt eerily familiar, and Ren stares at his face again, starting to wonder if he knew this person.

The other does the same, eyebrows furrowed in what seems to be both irritation and confusion, both of them slowly walking away from each other without breaking eye contact for an extensive amount of time. Ren looks away only to put his helmet on, but finds himself staring at his own reflection in the visor instead. He feels like he forgot something, _someone_  important.

Ren turns his head again, hesitating between talking or keeping his ego intact. The latter option seems favorable as Ren has no idea what he could possibly say, opting to look at the stranger some more instead, as if memories would come back to him if he stared long enough. The other looks at him for a while too, only walking inside the shop after Ren puts his helmet on and drives away.

 

* * *

 

_"Don't die. Please don't die."_

_His insides feel like they might explode as tears burn his cheeks, his watering eyes unable to recognize the person next to him, their warm blood seeping through the fingers Ren was pressing against their stomach. Their hand weakly caresses his own before grabbing it firmly, and Ren grabs theirs in turn. He somehow hopes that if he held onto this hand, they would hold onto life._

_"Kido...?"_

 

* * *

 

Their second meeting is nothing more than a coincidence, Ren riding near the riverbank when he notices the person he had met at the tea shop earlier that week engaged in what seems like a fascinating conversation with an old man who was pointing towards the water enthusiastically.

Ren wants to drive right past and pretend he had forgotten about their earlier meeting, but his body chooses to press on the brakes instead when the stranger starts leaning in a bit too close to the water while scribbling on a notepad.

"Kido! Watch out!" Ren's shout startles more than it warns, the young man slipping on the rock he was standing on before falling face first into the water, sending both notes and pen flying. The old man wails something about a hairy frog and runs after something while Ren parks his motorcycle before rushing to the riverbed.

The long-haired man splashes around pathetically in an attempt to recover his notes, and Ren finds himself utterly embarrassed by how unnecessary his intervention was considering the water's shallowness. He reaches his hand out regardless, wincing slightly at a faded memory when the other grabs it, and helps him up and out of the water.

"Thanks." The shorter man begins while clumsily wringing his shirt, raising his eyes only to shake his hair dry. "Oh. Not you again... What do you... Wait. Why do you know my name?"

Why _did_ he know his name? Ren darts his eyes around, quickly trying to come up with an excuse that would allow him to keep face.

"I've, uh, read one of your articles before?" Hopefully that was the purpose of the notes he was taking.

"Really? Wow!" The young man laughs shyly while rubbing his hair, and Ren realizes the excuse he came up with hurt his own pride more than anything. "I'm so glad! Which one? Thank you! I hope it wasn't the crayfish-"

Ren turns around and walks back to his motorcycle, wanting to hide his heating face from this Kido person. Whether his cheeks were blushing from shame or from how cute the journalist was, he would rather not know.

 

* * *

 

"That is so strange! What if you knew him in a previous life? Something romantic like that?" Eri exclaims between bites while eagerly emptying up her plate, Miho already ready to put a second serving of food in her girlfriend's plate.

"Or maybe he just barely remembers one of his high school classmates." Ren glares at Miho for her remark, but has nothing else to say that wouldn't embarrass him in front of his ex-fiancé and her new partner.

The two ladies had gotten together shortly after Eri broke things off in the most gentle of manners with Ren, and while he had shed his fair share of tears that day, all that matters to him now was seeing the one he once loved smiling and laughing of the most genuine joy whenever the three of them went out as friends.

Not to mention that there was something about Miho made Ren feel like he could trust her to keep his ex-fiancé safe no matter what, regardless of her shady hobbies.

"Miho! Let him dream a little!" Eri laughs while decorating her new serving of okonomiyaki. "How about asking him out? I know you're bad at that, but..."

"Yeah, put yourself in a situation where you can't run away like you always do." Miho grins and Ren grumbles at their teasing, eating his share of food while wondering how he could meet the overly familiar stranger again.

 

* * *

 

Ren's search leads him back to the tea shop where he had first met the journalist, hoping the old lady who runs the cozy place might know more about him.

He instantly regrets his decision as he walks into the bustling shop, every table crowded with customers. Tea Atori's owner sighs of relief upon seeing Ren walk in, her hands full as she nods towards the back of her counter. "Ren! Quick, quick, help me out!"

Ren can't refuse her, quickly setting aside his leather coat for an apron, allowing the old lady to prepare the orders while he entertained the customers and took their orders in a way so charming that it betrayed his typically aloof demeanor.

It takes hours before things settle down, and not a second passes after Ren removes his improvised work uniform that the shop owner approaches him with a sweet smile and batting eyelashes. "Ren, why don't you work here more often? How about I make you my second-in-command?"

Ren briefly wonders why the old lady was asking him that, _didn't she have a family member helping her already_ , but framed pictures of her late grandchildren catch the corner of Ren's eyes and bring him back to reality.

"I guess." Ren had never been able to keep a job for more than a few months despite nearing his mid-twenties, but something tells him that this tea shop is where he should be.

Besides, his motorcycle and flat weren't going to pay themselves, and he no longer had a fiancé to help him pay the bills.

The old lady cheers and does a small victory dance, and Ren finds himself smiling at his new boss.

 

* * *

 

_Their hand is still warm, covered in the blood of their own wrist. Ren hugs their lifeless body, guilt crushing his heart. Someone else lies unconscious nearby, and fear overcomes every muscle of his body when he notices. Not him. Not him too._

_But the other silhouette stands up, and Ren finds that he can still keep on fighting._

_"Don't die, Ren."_

_"You either."_

 

* * *

 

It doesn't take more than a few days before the journalist drops by the tea shop again, walking in with a smile despite the disorganized pile of notes he was carrying. He hasn't even sat down that he starts ordering, his voice loud and enthusiastic. "A black coffee please! Wait, I forgot... Tea... Tea... Black tea plea-"

The shorter man bumps into Ren, thankfully not scattering his papers this time. "It's you! Again! Are you following me? Are you my first fan?"

"Absolutely not." Ren certainly wouldn't admit how amused he was by this absurdly clumsy person, instead opting for a walk to the counter, preparing tea for the customer he had been waiting for.

The journalist takes a seat meanwhile, forgetting about the notes he had to organize to talk to Ren instead, presenting himself in great detail, from his name ( _Shinji Kido, Ren knew that already_ ) to his career ( _ORE journal, Ren took mental note of the name so that he could read an issue to back up his previous lie_ ) to the article he was currently working on ( _Something about a young programmer who was using his talent for shifty activities_ ).

Ren is busy with other customers when Shinji finally stands up, and he finishes taking their order before jolting to the door right as Shinji turns the knob.

"What? Want to have another one of our 'Who goes left, who goes right' confrontations?" Shinji says teasingly, making Ren sigh at the awkward memory. "I just wanted to see you out. It's my job."

"Oh. Well. Bye?" Shinji raises a confused eyebrow before opening the door, and Ren can see his life flashing before his eyes, including Eri and Miho laughing at his failure. He knows this is his last chance, and swallows his pride. "Wait. Seven. Tomorrow evening. Are you free? There's this new restaurant nearby and..."

"Yeah! I know it! The owner is my age! I wanted to write an article about it. I'll let my coworkers know, we can all-"

"No. Just the two of us." Ren is pretty sure his voice cracked right then, embarrassed yet somehow proud of his own boldness.

"Oh! Okay! Sure! Just you and..." Shinji starts nodding his head, eyes squinting in deep reflection, hand to his chin. "...Wait. Is this what I think it is? My first fan... wants time alone with me!?"

Ren rolls his eyes, pushing Shinji out of the shop and closing the door before the journalist had any chance to see the wide smile on his face.

 

* * *

 

_Sharp pain jolts down every single muscle of his body, his vision blurring out as he tries to look at the person hovering over him, their hair soft against his cheeks as they hold the back of his head, their hand warm and comforting despite the callouses and dirt as it covers Ren's own._

_"Ren!"_

_He never hears anything else._

 

* * *

 

Ren isn't surprised to be the first one at the restaurant, honestly expecting Shinji to arrive minutes late, and that is if he hadn't forgotten about their date entirely.

He takes the opportunity to adjust his necktie, somewhat awkward in clothes he hadn't worn since breaking up with Eri, but she was the one to insist on him wearing anything other than his usual sport shirts or leather coat.

Shinji arrives 20 minutes later, _not too bad_ Ren thinks, hiding a smile behind his fist when the journalist starts keenly interviewing the restaurant's owner at the entrance.

Ren stands to help Shinji out of his coat when he walks up to their table, regretting his decision when the shorter man starts laughing. "So polite! Looking at you, I never guessed!"

The two of them spend a while choosing their meals, only agreeing on the bottles of red wine that would later cover up most of their table. Ren finds himself invested in all the stories Shinji had to share, tales that involved both golden crayfish and dead bodies plastered into walls, and Shinji seems so excited whenever Ren asks for more details.

Ren doesn't have as much to say, but he still does, making Shinji laugh with his various job loss stories, telling him about all the places he had been to by motorcycle before, complaining about how hard it was to decorate a new flat.

The restaurant is almost empty by the time they start jokingly arguing over who was going to let the other pay the bill, Shinji insisting on doing so since Ren would probably get fired soon, making Ren grab the bill to restore his pride.

Shinji chuckles over how bad his own sense of balance was after drinking, Ren helping him up and keeping a hand on his arm to make sure the klutz wouldn't embarrass the both of them.

"No driving for you tonight, Kido." The shorter man nods intently in response, a teasing smile on his face when he turns to Ren. "Are you going to let me ride the back of your motorcycle, then? Want me to wrap my arms around your waist?"

Ren shoves Shinji playfully, smiling when the journalist bursts out laughing. "You said you were freeloading at your workplace, right? Let's just walk there."

 

* * *

 

"I think we met before." Shinji breaks the comfortable silence between them as the journal’s office comes into view, his unexpectedly serious tone almost as surprising as the words he had said.

"I think you're drunk." Ren replies, unsure whether the journalist was joking, or if he really could see and feel the same kind of faint memories as Ren did.

"I can't deny that! But I really think we did. You knew my name before I told you, right? Near the river the other week! And your lie regarding that was really bad..." Shinji stops walking, and Ren turns to look at him as he continues his enthusiastic speech. "Well, when you told me yours, I thought, I already knew that! And the first time we bumped into each other, that was the most intense déjà vu I ever had! Why wouldn’t you stop staring? I couldn't stop staring either!"

"Maybe you're right." Is all Ren says while remembering all of the cryptic, morbid dreams he had been having ever since he met Shinji, and the uncontrollable urge to stay near him and keep him safe.

_Safe from what?_

Shinji walks closer, his smile making Ren's stomach tighten up. There's no urge to pull back when Shinji grazes his hand over Ren's own, all the warmth yet none of the scratches and blisters from the last time.

_Last time?_

"I'm not sure what happened... and I don't know why I feel this way... But I'm glad you're alive, Ren."

_I'm so glad you're alive, Kido._

Shinji grabs Ren's hand and pulls on his collar gently, bringing their faces to the same height. Ren can't help but smile, both because of how silly Shinji's crossed eyes and smile looked from this close, and the overwhelming happiness and relief bubbling in his chest.

Shinji's lips are soft, shy at first but passionate once he found no protest in Ren, encouraged by the palm rubbing the small of his back. Ren pulls him close, pressing their bodies against each other, not ready to let this end anytime soon.

He feels like he had been waiting for this moment for an entire lifetime, if not several of them.

 

* * *

 

A newly appointed company president wakes up from an unintentional nap on a pile of paperwork when he hears a child laughing outside, walking up to the window only to dream some more, hoping to one day be like the middle aged man who was walking across the park, holding hands with a woman and carrying a giggling child on his shoulders.

The man in the park had been dedicating more time to his family recently, thinking of them before his work now that he had remembered the importance of spending time with his loved ones after an accident had taken one of his most dedicated students the previous week. The young man had died a heroic death, sacrificing his own safety to save a father and a son's lives.

A fortune teller who had set up shop nearby watches the family with a serene smile, distracted only by his best friend's approach, the pianist holding a newspaper with his uninjured hand.

The front page featured the mug shot of a face that was all too familiar to the two friends, the headline mentioning the felon's transfer to a psychiatric hospital. The fortune teller's smile speaks of relief, both for his friend's sake, and for the hope of rehabilitation for the criminal.

What the newspaper couldn't mention was that the defense attorney for this case would die peacefully a few weeks later, illness taking him during a spontaneous oversea trip alongside his beloved assistant, who would return home with both grief and a new piece of jewelry on his ring finger.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! this was the first part to what i'm hoping will be a trilogy of post-canon fluffy stories.
> 
> i've already written half of the gorou & kitaoka part... hopefully the eri & miho part will come next NOW YOU ASK, WHAT THE FUCK AT THOSE TWO!? well i tell you, i just want girls to be happy!!! canon basis is a detail when it comes to lesbians
> 
> anyways, kudos and comments are highly appreciated!!! furthermore, feel free to follow my tokusatsu sideblog, bluebuster@tumblr!


End file.
